Arsenal aim to upset the odds

Monaco (3) v Arsenal (1) Tonight: Stade Louis 11 Stadium, 7.45pm TV: ITV 1

Arsene Wenger never visited the famous casino during his seven years in charge of Monaco, but he is confident his Arsenal side can upset the odds and create Champions League history in Monte Carlo tonight.

True, it would take a brave man to bet on Arsenal becoming the first team to overturn a two-goal deficit from the home leg of a Champions League tie, but Wenger’s visitors seem in the mood to prove the house does not always win.

Their performance in the 3-1 home defeat to Monaco three weeks ago was comfortably Arsenal’s worst of the season, but Wenger will be emboldened by their run of four consecutive victories since that disastrous display.

Centre-back Per Mertesacker, who endured a woeful evening in the first-leg, made it plain Arsenal will show ‘a different face’ against a Monaco team who have conceded less goals than any other left in the competition.

And this was a relaxed and jovial Wenger who faced the media, telling the press to enjoy their evening on the roulette wheels and blackjack tables of Monte Carlo.

Asked whether we should put all our money on red, Wenger simply smiled and raised an eyebrow, but he seems confident such a scenario is a genuine possibility.

After four successive round of 16 exits, their fans will hope so.

Capitulation in the first leg – this is the fourth season in a row they have been at least two goals behind after the opening game – has become commonplace. So too has brave defeat in the second after giving themselves too much to do.

Yet those losses have been to AC Milan, Barcelona and Bayern Munich (twice). Monaco are not in the same class.

Maybe Arsenal are worth a gamble.

“I didn’t visit the casino,” laughed Wenger when asked about his time in charge at Monaco for seven years from 1987. I did what I did in London. I stayed a lot on the football pitches and I don’t think that people saw me in the casino.

“Does the fact history is against us mean anything? No, that doesn’t matter. The statistics are against us. The result in the first leg is against us. We are conscious about that.

“No matter how big the percentage is we have to give absolutely everything to make the stats lie. That’s our desire and belief that we can do it.

“We are here for that (to go through). Monaco is in a very strong position, but we have experience, the desire and belief we can do it, so let’s go out there and give everything we can to do it.

“Of course you can expect us to show a different side to our game. We totally missed the first leg against Monaco, which was surprising.

“We did not play well, but sometimes in life if you miss a chance you do not have a second chance, but we do, so we will play it fully.”

To go through, Arsenal will have to score three times against a Monaco side who have not conceded that many in one game since mid-August.

They will be assisted enormously in that if Olivier Giroud rediscovers his best form. The Frenchman found the first leg a trial, missing four chances and being hauled off after an hour.

He has since scored three goals in as many starts and is almost certain to lead the line, with Wenger’s toughest decision likely to be whether to play Aaron Ramsey or Danny Welbeck.

And Wenger issued a stern defence of his leading striker. “Monaco have a very, very strong defence,” said Wenger.

“We had a lot of opportunities in the first leg actually, more than people said. It is true that Giroud was at the end of the opportunities and didn’t manage to convert. But now he is in better condition. He got over the disappointment of the first leg and will do everything to be at the top level.

“Once he has an opportunity I really think he is at the international level. I believe this. He has the right mental level. We have to trust the people who play at this kind of level.”

Trust is one thing, belief is quite another.

Monaco’s coach Leonardo Jardim declared it could be ‘the year of France to beat England’ after Paris Saint Germain’s victory over Chelsea last week, but this game is really all about Arsenal.

They beat themselves in the first leg through suicidal defending and a lack of accuracy in front of goal.

Change those basic factors and they could create history.

“We need to perform well, we need to have a great performance, we need to believe,” said Wenger.

“We want to give everything to have the greatest performance on the pitch. If we did not believe we could do it, we would not be here.”

If they do pull it off then maybe Wenger should make his first ever visit to the casino.